Rain affects Australia v New Zealand game in ICC Champions Trophy

If the first match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 was a splendid affair, the second one threw a wet blanket on all the enthusiasm as New Zealand and Australia were forced to share points after rain played spoilsport at Edgbaston.

Earlier Josh Hazlewood was a standout with career best figures of 6/52, but Mitch Starc was wayward in his return to global cricket, Pat Cummins (1/67) was smashed early and John Hastings (2/69) late as the Kiwis piled on 291 in their allotted 46 overs. It was Captain Kane Williamson who enjoyed this bowling performance claiming the 3rd century of the tournament on his way to 100 off 97 balls before being Run Out.

New Zealand were 4-254 with 10.5 overs remaining and on course for a score well in excess of 300, but Hazlewood induced a number of false strokes from the New Zealand batsmen.

His fellwo pacer Trent Boult had struck the first blow for New Zealand, picking up the wicket of the unsafe David Warner in the sixth over.

Australia and New Zealand have earned a point each after the washout.

Fast bowler Adam Milne was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with figures of 2/9 in two overs.

Dark clouds close in.

Australia, trying to force the pace against accurate new-ball bowling, were soon 35 for two after big-hitting openers David Warner (18) and Aaron Finch (eight) fell cheaply. And credit to them (New Zealand), they came out quite hard and played quite well up top and got their innings going.

Opting to bat, New Zealand had started well but opener Martin Guptill was dismissed for 26 in the sixth over.

New Zealand next play England in Cardiff on Tuesday and Williamson, asked if his side were now “behind the eight-ball”, replied: “I suppose”. Later on, just at the stroke of lunch another spell of showers interrupted the match for the second time, which meant Australia’s target was revised to 235 off 33 overs.

By the time New Zealand were bowled out for 291, they had lost their last seven wickets for 37 runs.

Considered as one of the most prolific pacers in the present times, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins all played in the match.

Williamson, after one crunching early pull, had been ticking along nicely in the background, and was joined by Ross Taylor for a serene third-wicket stand of 99.

Taylor was the next to perish when he top-edged a Hastings’ climbing delivery to Moises Henriques at cover.

Starc’s underarm throw and Matthew Wade’s fumble saw them botch a certain run out with Ronchi stranded, then Starc dropped him at mid-on.

But Smith admits Australia are looking to balance the side with an all-rounder – John Hastings or Marcus Stoinis – meaning one of the strike bowlers will be receiving an unwanted knock on the door on Friday morning.

New Zealand were a World Cup finalist in 2015, and World Twenty20 semifinalists in 2016, and have developed a thick skin, like captain Kane Williamson.

“We were playing some good cricket, so it would have been nice to see how the game unfolded if we were able to get out and finish it”, he said.